Goodbyes
by 13tash07
Summary: The Doctor stumbles upon the Mirror of Erised and finally gets a chance to say goodbye. Fluff, really.


**Hello! This is one of those stories that have been floating around in a dark corner of my brain for a while; it's basically what I think the Doctor would see in the mirror of Erised. Short and fluffy, yea... Also, sorry if I didn't get all the characters right... I'm more of a new series kid. But I thought he'd see everyone. So... enjoy and review! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. **

There is a mirror, inside Hogwarts, that shows people their hearts desire. The most deep desire that they've ever had. It is called the mirror of Erised, and the man currently gazing into it with tears in his eyes stumbled upon it purely by chance when he took a wrong turn near the sixth Alcazean moon and accidentally landed his TARDIS inside Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

What people see in the mirror varies from person to person. Some people see themselves in piles of gold, some people see themselves as the best of what they can be. But what this man sees is the faces of people he once knew, gazing out at him. And he can't help but remember each one of them in turn. And then he realises what this could be. A chance for him to say goodbye, to finally let go of everything. And so the Doctor begins to address his companions, starting with Ian and Barbra.

"I'm... I'm sorry I was such an old codger when I was younger," he said, letting out a strangled chuckle at how weird that sounded. "But I'm glad that I at least set you two up, to live happily ever after. And you did such brilliant things, as will your children."

The pair of them smiled at him, and Ian said softly, "It's alright, old chap. We wouldn't be together if it weren't for you. It was good to know you, you know."

And the pair faded away, leaving the Doctor to the rest of his companions. Slowly but surely, he said his goodbyes to all of them. To Andric, he told him that he was sorry to have caused his death, and the boy assured him that forgiveness was given. To Tegan he apologised that it was no longer fun. To Sarah Jane Smith, he once again told her how proud he was. To Nyssa and Leela and all his other friends, he told them a similar thing. One by one he made his way through the companions in the mirror, until there were only a few left.

"Romana," he said softly, looking at one of the women there. She nodded to him, a slight, friendly smile playing across her lips. "I'm sorry about the war. I'm sorry that I caused it to end. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that you burned with them. And mum, dad, Susan, the same goes for you. I didn't want to... I didn't mean to... I... I..."

He stuttered the words out, tears beginning flow freely down his cheeks. The mirror version of his mother reached out to cup his face, carefully wiping away a tear. "I'm proud of you, son. You did what you had to, and none of us will hold it against you, dear," she told him. The Doctor managed a small smile as his fellow Time Lords faded away, leaving him with only three left.

"Martha Jones."

"Doctor."

He paused, trying to think of what to say, his goodbye formed already. Martha seemed to see that, and gave him one of her comforting smiles. "It's okay, Doctor."

"I'm sorry he hurt you," he told her truthfully, but she shook her head.

"I'm recovering. Don't worry, Doctor. And I'll see you again. You know that."

"Yea," he said softly, looking at her as she faded away. Only two more. He smiled at one of the figures, ready to address him.

"Captain," he said, giving him a casual salute, which the man returned. "I'm glad you've got Torchwood. Keep fighting."

"As always, Doctor," the other man responded, before he faded away. One left. One person left.

"Rose," he breathed, walking closer to the mirror so that his hand was pressed against it, against where hers was on the other side. She smiled at him, and he smiled back through some more tears. God, where did they all come from? He found his voice momentarily lost as he gave a gulp. "I never... on the beach, I never got to tell you. Never got to finish what I was going to say."

She smiled and nodded. "Go on."

"Rose Tyler..." here it was. What he should have told her oh, so long ago. "Rose Tyler, I love you."

And once again her face broke into a smile, a true and warm smile. He smiled back, and she said, "That wasn't too hard, was it."

"Nah," he said, once again fighting back tears as he looked at her. They stood there, in silence, hands pressed against the mirror to each other, as if somehow they could get through, pass through to each other. He wished she was really there, that he could pass through and hug her and kiss her and tell her that it was alright, that he loved her. But he couldn't. Not as he stood there, as if for eternity. He only started when he heard a door bash open, and yells and cries. The Doctor gave one last glance back at the mirror, and Rose mouthed at him, "goodbye."

The Doctor smiled back at her, wiping away all traces of tears, before running out of the room to where Donna Noble was running, too, chased by what seemed to be a horde of angry Slytherins. He grabbed her hand and grinned, a brilliant smile, one of true happiness.

"Allons-y!" he yelled as she rolled her eyes at him and prepared to give him a tongue lashing. The Doctor knew that, while his life was less than perfect, if he were to look into the mirror now, he'd simply see himself as he was, running with Donna Noble by his side, having finally been allowed to let go, say goodbye, and move on.

**There! The end is a bit cheesy, isn't it? Anyway, reviews are brilliant and appreciated. And I swear I haven't deserted 9 and the crew of Firefly, I'm simply encountering a bit of a lack of plot. So review that, and I'll get back onto it. Until then, Allons-y and DFTBA**


End file.
